Dancing Years at High & Lonesome Festival

13 November 2015

High & Lonesome sees a new kind of festival emerge, all occurring on Saturday 14th November in two of Leeds’ most loved venues The Brudenell Social Club and Left Bank Leeds. No scrawling PA feedback or wellies in sight, the line-up is made up of the likes of Julia Holter and Josh T Pearson. Another exciting addition is Leeds’ own Dancing Years who return to play one of their favourite venues in the city. We chat to them about the festival and their latest release.

Emma: How has it been, growing as a band in Leeds?

Dancing Years: The best thing about Leeds is that there isn’t really a scene, and the best bands in Leeds seem to be doing their own thing. Everyone just supports everyone then, so there’s no sense of competition. We’re not really following in anyone’s footsteps…like Kaiser Chiefs (laughs).

E: Where does your sound come from then, if not the City?

DY: It’s a mixture of what we grew up listening to, singer songwriters and then more personal influences, and then looking a bit further overseas to influences from Scandinavia and even Canada.

E: What have been your favourite venues to play in Leeds? Have you any memorable stand-out gigs here?

DY: Definitely the Brudenell. It’s just such a special venue. We got a support slot here, and then a few more and then last year we had our first headline show and it was really busy, so a bit of a dream for Dancing Years!

E: And of course you’re back this year for High and Lonesome festival. Who are your most anticipated acts as fans and fellow musicians?

DY: We’re looking forward to watching Simeon Walker.

Harry from High & Lonesome interjects: We’re putting him and his piano in the middle of the room, playing over the PA, and then the crowd will gather round in a circle.

DY: Simeon writes really nice instrumental music; his songs are amazing. The Travelling Band are also up there. We’ve supported them ourselves actually and always had a good time. They sold chilli sauce here (laughs). We listen to a lot of Julia Holter; Dan’s been obsessed with her for a long time. There’s loads of things going on in her latest album so it’ll be really interesting to see live. Josh T Pearson is another one, an absolutely beautiful songwriter with a cracking beard. And finally Neil Halstead (of Slowdive)!

E: Is it nice to fit in well with the line up?

DY:Yeah, we’re bringing out all our classic Americana songs into the set (laughs). But it’s not often that we get to play at festivals where we’re not the only representative really.

E: Have you any new releases coming up?

DY: We’ve just finished an EP, which is the first EP as Dancing Years coming out in February, with a guy called Colin Elliot.

Thanks Dancing Years! Catch them at the Brudenell for High & Lonesome festival and listen out for their recent single 'Learn to Kiss', the title track from their upcoming EP.